April 26, 2012

Marketing department head invited for second term with prestigious research center

Kevin Gwinner, professor and head of the department of marketing in the College of Business Administration, has been invited to serve a second three-year term as research faculty at Arizona State University's Center for Services Leadership.

Membership to the center's leadership faculty is exclusive, with only 37 individuals from across the United States selected to serve. The faculty members are invited to join based on their exceptional academic reputation, expertise within service research and commitment to advancing knowledge in the field.

"Services account for 80 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, 82 percent of the labor force and 45 percent of the average family's budget," Gwinner said. "As such, business research in the field of services marketing provides an opportunity to have a significant impact on society."

Established, in 1985, the Center for Services Leadership strives to improve the business and academic understanding of the distinctive and growing role of services in organizations and with customers. The invitation-only partnership provides a rare opportunity to network and engage with industry executives and center staff who share a commitment to advancing knowledge in the field of services.

"Being active in the Center for Services Leadership has provided me with an extremely valuable network of scholars to improve my research projects and has given me numerous opportunities to interact with companies. I leverage these experiences into both my research publications and classroom instruction," Gwinner said.

Gwinner's main research stream focuses on improving and managing the performance of front-line, customer-contact employees. Specifically, he examines issues dealing with the real-time interaction between front-line service employees and consumers.

His research interests and publications emphasize the identification and measurement of personal and organizational antecedents impacting various job performance indicators in front-line service employees, customer expectations regarding service employee behaviors during service interactions, and the cognitive and emotional side of service.

"This is a special recognition for Dr. Gwinner. As an academic, his research in the services marketing field has been cited more than 5,000 times in peer reviewed journal articles, putting him among a very elite group of faculty," said Ali Malekzadeh, Edgerley Family Dean of the College of Business Administration. "His dedicated work and recognition is in line with the goals of the college and K-State's vision 2025."